Loose-leaf binder



March 13, 1928. 1,662,303 J. c. DAWSON LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 8,1925 [an n/02 cfames Cfl w ,Bq M W Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES ,lATENTl' QF FICE.

JAMES C. "DAWSON,' OF WEBSTER GROVES, MIS SUURI, ASSIGNGR 'TO ELMA' N.DAWSON, OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed September.

This invention relates to loose leai' binders and has for its principalobject to permit the papci-1liolcli1 ig prongs to be firmly held inclosed position and yet be easily opened.

Further objects and-advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description is-rca-d in connection with the accoinpanying drawingsin which Fig. 1 is a plan View of a loose leai bind in er embodying theinvention, a portion of the cover being broken away to reveal the opcrating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in longitudinal section on the line 22of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse-section on the line 3+3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end view;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 55of Fig.1 2;

W Fig. ,6 is aplan view of a fragment of the .blankirom' whichtheresilient base plate is formed, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the operating levers.

A pair of toggle plates 10-10 are articu-' lated at their adjacent edgesby double headed buttons 11 and have their remote edges pivotallymounted in the flanges 12 of a resilient base plate 13. The toggle 30plates carry pairs of. paper holding prongs 14- and 15 which are openedwhen the toggle formed by the two plates is bentupwardly, and closedwhenit is bent downwardly. In order to enclose the operating parts and givethe binder a finished appearance a resilient cover 16 is sprung over theflanges liand has flanges 17 which grip the base plate and hold thecover firmly in place. Such a cover adds somewhat to the pres sure'onthe remote edges of the toggle plates, but its chief function is toenclose the mechanism from above and contribute to the finishedappearance.

Each end of the binder is provided with forming a thumb. piece 18, aninner arm 19 projecting beneath the toggle plates ad acent to theirinner margins and an intermediate portion 20 connecting the two arms thebase plate is w cover 16.

r: an operating lever including an outer arm 8, 1825. SerialNo. 54,940.

from comingin contact with the .endofthe cover plate. The sides 21 ofthe intermediate portion are curved substantially in accord with thecurvature of the base plate at its. side portionsand form trunnions onwhich the operating lever is fulcrumed.

The contact between the trunnions 21 and ell out towards theedges onlyof the latter. Hence, when pressure is applied to thethumb piece thelever presses downwardly on the side margins of the'base plate andupwardlyonthe inner margins ot'the toggle plates. As aresult the. leverhasa decided tendency toflatten out the base plate andthus-relievethepressure against the remote edges of the toggle platesand make it easyto straighten the toggle.

. Thebase plate is formed from a blank having 3 the configurationindicated; in Fig. Gand in addition;to being bent roughly toasemi-ellipse its edges are t-urned inwardly along the lines 22andthereby grooves, or pockets, 23, are formed iii-which ithe remote edgesofthetoggle platesbear and are easily retained. The ears 24 of the blankare bent downwardly, as indicated in Fig. 4, and theears 25 are bentupwardly to secure the operating levers in place on the end portionsmofthe base plate that projectsa short'distance beyond the ends ofthe Thethumb piece 18 is curved substantial- .ly parallel to the cover '16..and projects at each-side, as indicated at 26, over theedges .OfrthGbase plate andprotects' thefingers from the corners of it.

.Heretofore operating le'vershave been fulcrumed on the base plateeither directly in the middle thereofioralong the interme diate portion.When pressure was applied it tended to increase the concavity of thebase plate, and, therefore, the pressure against the TGRIOtB edges ofthe vutoggle :plates, thereby increasing the :resistance to upwardbending of the toggle in opening the prongs.

With levers constructed and arranged according to this invention thepressure of the toggles is directed as indicated by the arrows 27 inFig. 4:, and operates to relieve the pressure on the toggle and permitit to be easily straightened by the inner arm 19 at the lever Hence.with si ieh level-s the pressure on the toggle can be made suflicient tofirmly hold the prongs closed and give them a snappier movement and atthe same time the prongs can be easily opened by pressing downwardly onthe thumb piece 18.

l claim as my invention:

1. In a loose leaf hinder, the combination of pairs of paper-holdingprongs, a pair of toggle members articulated at their adjacent edges toform a toggle adapted to bend upwardly to separate the pairs of prongsand to bend downwardly to bring the prongs to gether. a base platebeneath the toggle members and hav ng flanges in which the remote edgesof the toggle members are pivoted, and an (merating lever comprising anouter arm forming a thunibiiiert-a. an inner arm projceting beneath thetoggle, and an intermediate substantially upright. portion connectingthe two arms and having its side portions fulcrumed on the margins ofthe base plate adjacent to the flanges.

2. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of pairs of paper-holdingprongs, a pair of toggle members articulated at. their adjacent edges toform a toggle adapted to bend upwardly to separate the pairs of prongsand to bend downwardly to bring the prongs together, a resilient baseplate beneath the toggle members and having flanges exerting a\fl8l(li11g pressure on their remote edges, and an operating levercomprising an outer arm forming a thumb-piece. an inner arm projectingbeneath the toggle, and an intermediate substantially upright portionconnecting the two arms and having its side portions fulcrumed on themargins of the base plate adjacent to the flanges.

3. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of pairs of paper-holdingprongs, a pair of ti'iggle members articulated at their adjacent edgesto form a toggle adapted to bend upwardly to se 'iarate the pairs ofprongs and to bend downwardly to bring the prongs together, a base platebeneath the toggle members and having flanges in which the remote edgesof the toggle members are pivoted, and an operating lever comprising anouter arm forming a thumb-piece, an inner arm projecting beneath thetoggle, and an intermediate substantially upright portion forming an endclosure for the base plate and having its side portions fulcruined onthe margins of the base plate adjacent to the flanges.

t. in a loose leaf hinder. the combination of pairs of paper-holdingprongs. a pair of toggle members articulated at; their adjacent edges toform a toggle adapted to bend upwardly to separate the pairs of prongsand to bend downwardly to bring the prongs to gether, a base platebeneath the toggle memhersv and having flanges n which the remote edgesof the toggle meml'iers are pivoted. an operating lever comprising anouter arm forming a thumb-piece. an inner arm projecting beneath thetoggle, an intermediate substantially upright portion forming an endclosure for the base plate and having its side portions f'ulerunied onthe margins of the base plate adjacent to the flanges, and bent ears onthe end of the base plate securing the lever in place.

In a loose leaf hinder. the romhination of; pairs: of paper-holdingprongs. a pair of toggle members articulated at llwir adjac nt edges toform a toggle adapted to bend up \vardly to s parate the pairs of prongsand to lit-ml downwardly to bring the prongs to gether, a base platebeneath the toggle memhers having inwardly curred flanges in which theremote edges of the toggle memhers are pivoted, and an operating levercomprising an outer arm forming a thumb-piece. an inner arm projectingbeneath the toggle, and an ntermediate portion notirhed to receive theflanges of the base plate and having its side portions fulcrumeal on thebar-.- plate adjacent to the flanges.

(3. In a loose leaf hinder. the. combination of pairs of paper-holdingprongs. a pair of ti k (1 mem ers articulated at their adjacent; edgesto form a toggle adapted to bend upvcardly to separate the pairs ofi'irougs and to bend downwardly to bring the prongs together, a baseplate beneath the toggle mene hers having inwardly curred flanges inwhich the remote edges of the togglimembers are pivoted. an operatinglever comprising an intermediate portion forming a closure for the endof: the base. plate projecting above it and notched to lwtlW theflanges; 21 fulcrum on th base plate adjaeent to ib flanges. an outerarm projecting from the top of the intermta'liate portion to form athumb pieee, and an inner arm projeetin; b neath the toggle.

In te-timony whereof I aflii; my signature.

JAMES C. ll-lWSON.

